"Sources with first-hand experience of Microsoft's next generation console have told us that although the next Xbox will be absolutely committed to online functionality, games will still be made available to purchase in physical form. Next Xbox games will be manufactured on 50GB-capacity Blu-ray discs, Microsoft having conceded defeat to Sony following its ill-fated backing of the HD-DVD format. It is believed that games purchased on disc will ship with activation codes, and will have no value beyond the initial user." Crap like this should be illegal. If I can't buy second-hand games at my local favourite game store, Microsoft can shove this new Xbox where the sun don't shine. Which it obviously doesn't do in Redmond if they can come up with this kind of user-hostile bullshit. You can pretty much guarantee that they have made a silent agreement with Sony to implement similar anti-user feature on the next Playstation.

Yea actually the retail pc version is $50 on Amazon as well. Newegg is also listing it for $50.

(No point mentioning the Xbox version since it's not the same thing.)

No it isn't the same thing, the pc version should always be cheaper since there is no console royalty fee for Microsoft or Sony. But Steam takes that cut AND the retailer's and doesn't give a shit about "passing on the savings" to pc gamers.

Steam is a racket, not just with their pricing but in their ability to convince pc gamers that they are on the same team.

Steam is on team "empty your wallet" and is not your buddy. That should have been clear when they released their own L4D2 on Steam for $60. Disgusting.

Steam is a racket, not just with their pricing but in their ability to convince pc gamers that they are on the same team.

Steam is on team "empty your wallet" and is not your buddy. That should have been clear when they released their own L4D2 on Steam for $60. Disgusting.

Fair enough, but I wouldn't call Steam a racket. Of course Steam is not my buddy. Any company's primary focus should be on making money. And they might act like they're our buddy and portray themselves as the good guys that really care about their customers (both consumers and producers in this case), but they're not a charity and so making money should be their primary focus. And obviously they will ask as much money for games as they can get away with.